Enjoying the Sunshine While in the Hammock!

  Perhaps my favorite place to be lately is in the greenhouse.  I find myself being more relaxed while puttering around in the midst of plants. They don't ever argue with me!  I have yet to find a controversial bit of foliage!  This winter found me spending more and more time snipping overgrowth from ferns, digging around in potting soil and making hangers for plants.  Today, I rigged up several cutting vases before getting totally sidetracked by the hammock...and its occupant.

  The "hammock" was just an old piece of a fish net that I have hanging on the windows of the greenhouse.  It is strung across the top of the windows and dangles haphazardly onto plants, a birdcage and the back of a wicker chair...my chair.  Once  when taking a break, I noticed that someone was enjoying the warmth of the greenhouse while in that net. A Green Anole was lounging about soaking up a bit of sunshine.  What a perfectly lazy way to while away the hours!  

  The Green Anole is sometimes called (miscalled) the American Chameleon.  This is due to its ability to change colors from bright green to a dusky brown depending on its surroundings.  It is NOT, however, a chameleon.  The color changes can also relate to activity. When the anole is actively feeding on plants, it changes to bright green but when it is lounging about in a relatively dark place, it reverts to the brown stage. My little buddy, today, was blending quite well with the color of the netting.  During its stay in its private hammock, the lizard was gazing out the window.  It was probably in deep thought about what it will do for entertainment this summer and was probably hoping that I do not remove the netting!

Butterflies are free...or should be.

  Once again, I was stuck inside doing chores when my brain was saying to go out and breathe the fresh air!  At least I was able to throw open all of the windows and peer outside occasionally.  The sound of the birds singing and the sight of leaves blowing in the gentle breeze brought me some solace.  Through those windows, I did notice a ton of huge butterflies flitting about the garden.  It seems that the petunias, zinnias and butterfly weed interspersed with the tomatoes and bell peppers are a favorite stopping point for the insects.  Their brilliant colors added beauty to the garden.  Most were swallowtail butterflies of one sort or another. Their presence did make me feel a bit more trapped, though, as I could not be in the garden with them.  Their freedom to fly in and out made me want to do the same.

  Late this afternoon, I took Ms. Ez, the Bayou Dog, out for a walk.  She, too, has been feeling a bit of cabin-fever since I have taken on the job of reorganizing the craft room.  She has decided that she would rather be stuck inside with me than be outside by herself.  (She knows who throws that ball to her!)  Our hike took us through the garden and out the back gate.  I figured while I was traipsing about the tomato patch, I should check for any that were ripe.  A huge butterfly flitted right past my head and visited the butterfly weed.  It made me smile to think of how it was enjoying something that I had planted.  

  I was just about to leave the garden when a fluttering caught my attention.  Weeks ago, Michael and I put the netting across the tomato plants to keep the woodpeckers from eating any that were ripening.  I never thought of the danger this could be to any critter friends.  The net was touted to be "Environmentally and Animal Friendly!"  It is not. Caught up in the net was a gorgeous Swallowtail.  Poor thing!  It fluttered against the net for all it was worth but could not escape.  Well now, that would never do!  Even to the point of breaking a few of the plant's limbs, I pulled back the netting to allow the butterfly to escape.  Yep, butterflies should be free....and now this one is!  So folks, please take note if you use the bird netting.  Sometimes it can cause harm.  Go outside occasionally to check the netting.  Make sure that some hapless critter has not been caught up in the webbing.  Just last week, Michael rescued a gorgeous blue dragonfly and now the swallowtail had the misfortune of becoming snared.  Rescue those pretties, my friends!